Reports of vote buying in Hong Kong rally 'fake news' — Comelec

The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday denounced as "fake news" some social media reports alleging that vote-buying occurred in a recent political rally in Hong Kong for Eleksyon 2025.

"No confirmation po. Indeed it is a fake news," Comelec chairperson George Erwin Garcia told GMA News Online.

On Monday, the poll body said it is coordinating with the Philippine Consulate General in Hong Kong to verify reports circulating online that overseas Filipino voters who attended the sortie received HKD 200 (approximately P1,500) each.

Garcia earlier said the Comelec has yet to receive a complaint or letter on the incident.

“Wala pong lumalapit samin o nagbibigay man lang ng isang salaysay na nagsasabi na sila ay na-offeran nang ganyang amount dyan sa Hong Kong and therefore, walang kredibilidad ang balitang 'yan,”  the poll chief said in a separate interview.

(We have yet to receive letters or complaints telling us they received a certain amount during the sortie. Therefore, the information is not credible.)

“Sa kasalukuyan ang ating konsulada sa Hong Kong ay wala ring sinasabi tungkol dyan sa allegedly pamimili ng boto…fake news ‘yan sa ngayon,” he added.

(Our consulate in Hong Kong has also yet to comment on the alleged vote-buying. That is still fake news right now.)

If found true, the poll chief said the erring candidates may face disqualification cases. No criminal charges may be filed against them due to issues of territoriality.

"Maaaring walang criminal case pero pupwedeng magkaroon ng disqualification cases kahit pa na-commit outside the Philippines," Garcia said.

(They may have no criminal case, but we can file disqualification cases. However, this remains to be verified. We still need credible evidence to prove this is true.)

Last month, the Comelec warned of stricter measures against vote-buying,  vote-selling and abuse of state resources for the May polls as it relaunched the Committee on Kontra Bigay. — BAP, GMA Integrated News

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